Better Libations | Healthy Drink Reviews

Simple, just like this beverage

Hello fellow libation connoisseurs, I bring you the last in our new series of Zevia reviews, just as Danithius promised.  This last round has been fun, and what a better way to end it than with a caffeine-free diet cola!  I’ve always been a fan of colas, and I have recently (last year or so) attempted to gain an appreciation for the diet version, trying to cut the excess sugar out of my life.  When I tried  Zevia’s Natural Cola, I was pleasantly surprised. It had a few things mainstream colas don’t (like no sugar) and has a pleasant taste.  It is only fitting that Zevia compliment it with an uncaffeinated version for those who don’t imbibe this stimulant.  It comes in a bright blue can, and honestly, I like the new design; it’s simple but stands out in the crowded soda aisle.

This has a light cola effervescence, lacking any strong olfactory kick, which works for a diet cola.  The soda is nice and fizzy, without being too much so, like the rest of their line.  A kola flavor is very evident, without taking over the tongue enough to obscure the citrus background flavors and the spicy sweetness given to it by the nutmeg and stevia.  I’m rather fond of this flavor combination, removing the caffeine doesn’t seem to have effected the taste in any noticeable way.

As with all the other Zevia beverages we have reviewed, this is made from all natural ingredients, has no calories or sugar, being sweetened with erythritol and stevia.  I’m seeing them in more and more stores that I frequent, which pleases me.  I would highly recommend this to anyone trying to kick a sugary cola habit, or looking for an alternative to those mainstream diet colas loaded with artificial sweeteners and preservatives.  And on the plus side it tastes great, I may like it even more than its caffeinated comrade.

Score: 5 out of 5. A pleasing and flavorful alternative to sugary, caffeinated colas.

– WiseGuise

User Reviews: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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5-Star Reviews, Stevia, Zevia all natural, Stevia, Zevia

Today's model, Edel the corgador.

We’ve reviewed a surprising number of grapefruit-themed beverages on this site (search it if you don’t believe me) and I am pleased to see this flavor being tackled by Zevia, one of out favorite soda companies.  The mainstream attention to this complex flavor is sparse, limited to just about Fresca and Squirt; however, the independent companies seem more keen on their attempts to master it, so we’ll see how this one fares.

The scent is thin and citrusy, like being in a room where someone is cutting open citrus fruits. The taste is suddenly tart and vaguely citrus, with a very light hint of something like  grapefruit, but it fades quickly, leaving me with the iconic sweetness of stevia and just a memory of the flavor.  In fairness, the word ‘citrus’ is bigger than the word ‘grapefruit’, but  I was still hoping for more of a grapefruit taste.

The overall impact of this on my taste buds was less than I had hoped, despite its still unique flavor, and left me wanting the dry, tart, sweet taste of a grapefruit.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still tasty and refreshing, with a perfect fizz factor, it’s just not what I was expecting.  For those not fond of lemon-lime sodas but still crave a fizzy citrus beverage, this might be right up your alley.

Score: 3.5 out of 5. Citrusy for sure, but misses the mark on the grapefruit.

– WiseGuise

User Reviews: (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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**Danithius Review Rebuttal!**

Hmm, I agree with WiseGuise on this one.  It is vaguely citrus-y, but if you blindfolded me with a gun to my head and asked what this tasted like, the last words out of my lips would be “Diet Sprite?”  I don’t pick up on the grapefruit much at all, but I wish I did – I’m a big fan of a good grapefruity drink.  I think this one could use a trip back to the lab.  I’ll give it the same score as WiseGuise.

3-Star Reviews, Zevia all natural, drink reviews, Stevia, Zevia

Now this is something completely new to me, but has been around for a few years, and maybe has just barely made its way into out little burgh in the mountain valleys of Utah.  A company called Rising Beverage Co. has released this Activate “performance beverage.”  This is the first completely unique bottle design we’ve seen in a while, so I’ll get into that first. The cap of this bottle has a pouch of vitamins in it that you are supposed to ‘release’ prior to drinking to ensure their freshness, which I’m not entirely sure is just a gimmick or actually plausible.  The design of the bottle itself is colorful and clean, and the square bottle is usually easier to keep a hold of in extreme drinking situations.

Okay, so now that I’ve sipped the design elements, it’s time to try the contents.  I’ll have to stop typing for a moment release the vitamins . . . the powdered vitamins dropped and after a vigorous shake the bottle went from mostly clear to yellow.  Awesome.  With a whiff I am convinced that the flavor is actually going to be lemon-lime, the tartness is almost palpable.  The taste isn’t as extreme as the scent, but still gives your taste buds a good smack.  A distinct sourness gives way to the sweetness of Stevia, which enhances the citrus flavor nicely.  A crisp water taste is the background to this, which fades into a minute sweet-sour aftertaste.

The calorie count is only 5 per bottle, with zero sugar thanks to the Stevia.  Vitamin counts are 100% for B6, B12, Niacin and Riboflavin, my personal favorite.  50mg of caffeine (derived naturally) is added for a kick, and with that you have Activate Energy.  Even if the fresh vitamin trick is a gimmick, it’s a good one, and I’m impressed.  The flavor and taste are about right for this type of drink, which should compete well with the likes of SoBe Lifewater and its bastard cousin vitaminwater.  No contest with Gatorade, this is far superior, but only lacks electrolytes (a gimmick so blatant it was made fun of in the movie Idiocracy).  I can bet you might see me drinking this one again, maybe on my next trip to the gym.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. A sugar-free sports type drink that may make its way into the healthy beverage pantheon.

– WiseGuise

User Reviews: (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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4-Star Reviews, Activate, Stevia drink reviews, energy drink, independent company, Stevia

You read that right, this is a beverage based off of the well-known cleaner and folk remedy vinegar.  Apple cider vinegar is supposed to have several health benefits and potential for aiding in weight loss, but can have negative effects if used excessively.   I’ve used it before in attempts to rid my throat of a stubborn cold, with dubious results, though I’m not very patient when it comes to experiments like that.  Anyhow, I spotted this at my local Sunflower Market and my curiosity overwhelmed my distaste for consuming vinegar, so I decided to give it a shot, all for you, our awesome readers.  Today, I happen to be feeling the effects from lingering illness, so it should be as good a time as any.

The label has a old-timey, folksy feel to it, which fits with the theme of this drink; there’s a Jesus-fish on the back with a fairly benign scripture reference in it, 3 John 2.  The first smell is a little overwhelming, strongly promoting its namesake ingredient, but with a pleasant overtone of concord grapes.  The first swallow slides over my tongue with little hints of the fruit juices it contains, and the vinegar marks its presence at the entrance to my throat.  It’s not a strong burn, but not entirely pleasant, either.  Subsequent mouthfuls go down easier, the vinegar not becoming as apparent.  The flavors are mild and almost not sweet, not something you would expect from a sugary juice like grape.  This is sweetened with stevia, and only has 10 g of carbs in the whole 16 oz bottle, so bonus points for that.

This drink rates a little more toward the extreme end on the drink-o-meter, not something I would personally drink all that often.  The power of the vinegar takes some getting used to, but when you do it isn’t a terrible experience.  This could have been much worse than it was, but wasn;t quite what I expected, even though I’m not sure what I expected, really.  The aftertaste feels a little on the dry side, like after  mouthful of wine, but has no unpleasantness to it (unless you happen to burp–don’t do this).  I didn’t think I was going to finish the whole bottle when I started, but I did anyway, I almost started to like it by the end of the bottle.

After some consideration, I would recommend this to anyone daring enough to try things out of their comfort range, anyone looking to cut down on the sugar content in their diets and anyone looking for interesting homeopathic remedies to their daily woes.  I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone why can’t handle acidic or non-sweet beverages, leaving their comfort zone or folk medicine.  The after effects of this remain to be seen, but my nose seems to be clearing up already and I feel fuller, another effect of vinegar.  Come on, you know you want to try it.

Score: 3.5 out of 5. A strange concoction bound to test the limits of your palate and might keep you younger!

– WiseGuise

User Reviews: (6 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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3-Star Reviews, Bragg all natural, drink reviews, organic, Stevia

New plastic bottle!

Until now, I never really drank the SoBe Lean line of diet beverages, with their notorious use of Ace-K and Sucralose as sweeteners.  I found this in a local Maverik store and picked it up, excited to see that it has been switched to the erythritol/Reb A sweetener blend now used in all the LifeWater beverages.  After getting this home, I sat down at the computer and began to search fro information on this new packaging and sweetener change, and was dismayed to find a complete lack of any such information.  In fact, the only thing I found was a page on CostCo’s website where you can purchase it in bulk and a Pepsi website listed caffeine content in their drinks.  I called their customer service line, got the computer, and was eventually redirected to their website, which has no information on this product.  Thanks, guys.

Having given up on finding anything helpful about this product, I decided to just let my nose and tongue tell me everything I needed to know about it instead.  Cracking the seal, I am reminded of an iced tea, and don’t really detect any honey.  A look at the bottle and I can see why; it’s the last ingredient, and the amount in the bottle apparently so minuscule that it added no calories to the tea.  The flavor is not at all honey-like, although I can sense the presence of the stevia.  The tea flavor doesn’t really last long either, it is the third to last ingredient.  The flavor overall is sweet and temporary.  It is far better than the Swiss Premium Tea I regretfully experienced, but nowhere near the excellence that is HonestTea’s honey green tea.

I found this flavor surprisingly uninteresting and lacking for SoBe, who have become one of our favorite (despite their subsidiary status) drink companies out there.  The ‘honey’ and ‘green tea’ were difficult to enjoy amidst all the sweetness, and were some of the last ingredients in the bottle, not quite what I would like to see in a tea.  I was unimpressed with this beverage, but I might still be caught drinking it on a hot day in a pinch.

Score: 3 out of 5. No detectable honey and not much tea in this honey green tea and lots of  sweetness for a zero calorie drink.

– WiseGuise

User Reviews: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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3-Star Reviews, SoBe Lean all natural, green tea, Stevia

Love the new ergonomic bottles.

In keeping with our current deluge of calorie-free drinks, I bring you the erythritol sweetened, ‘lean machine’ SoBe Life Water Fuji Apple Pear flavor.  There is also stevia in this drink, the PureVia brand Reb-A.  This means it’s still sweet, just without the calories of regular Life Water, which are low to begin with.  Life Water is getting quite popular, they even have their own Facebook page.  Way to stay natual and hip, guys.

I would be surprised if it didn’t smell like apple-pear, Life Water is great at getting its flavors spot on.  The pear takes over a little in the scent, but shares tongue-space fairly with fuji apple.  There’s only a minute hint of stevia under the flavors, everything blends quite well, leaving no aftertaste, just a lingering sweetness on your tongue.  I noticed this with Zevia as well.  For the pear lover, this would be an ideal refresher for those hot, pear-less afternoons.

It looks like Life Water is going to remain a big contender to the behemoth sport-drink companies, who cannot seem to break themselves of their HFCS and CF addictions.  I see a lot of Gatorade (or are they just going by ‘G’ now?) on sale, and always pass it up.  Honestly, I never liked it to begin with.  I’ll be sticking with SoBe for now, since they have taste and nature on their side.

Score: 5 out of 5. Another tasty hit from the people at SoBe Life Water.

– WiseGuise

**Danithius Review Rebuttal** I agree 100%.  This is delicious, with fresh apple flavor and a delicate sweetness that absolutely blew me away – I thought it would never be possible to get this kind of taste from a completely sugar-free beverage!  5 Stars.

User Ratings: (10 votes, average: 4.10 out of 5)
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5-Star Reviews, SoBe Life Water all natural, drink reviews, SoBe lifewater, Stevia

For our final Zevia review, I bring you Natural Orange, Zevia’s calorie-free, all-natural answer to every other generic orange soda out there.  Even the pleasant orange color is all natural, pulled from the annatto plant (where achiote comes from, for you foodies).

The scent reminds me of Sunkist, although, I’ve always been partial to Hi-C.  The taste is a tad more subtle than other, uber-sweet orange drinks.  The carbonation bite hits you first, and the orange is ushered in after, a tangy-sweet that is light on your tongue but lasting.  I have noticed this about the Zevia drinks, the sweetness always lingers for a while, with no bitterness accompanying it.  The lack of chemicals and preservatives is my top suspect in this case.

This comes off as a little weak in flavor in comparison to more well-known orange refreshers, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The fake citrus taste in many of these is often too strong and sugary to enjoy, and this is where the simplicity of Zevia lifts itself above the crowd of generic, knock-off sodas as well as the top-sellers.  The stevia/erythritol combination gives it a distinct taste, which rises over the carbonation and then tapers off to the lasting sweetness.

One thing that bugs me about Zevia, despite the great re-design, is that it’s damn hard to see the ingredients list on the side of the can.  It blends in too well with the background.  Other then that, I have had a generally positive experience with Zevia, despite my bias against diet-sodas.  Kudos to Zevia for putting an all-natural, calorie-free soda out in a market saturated with chemically-sweetened drinks.  Now that those who like soda but not the sugar have a better option, I hope they do well.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. Not a flavor explosion, but subtle, sweet and better for you.

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**Danithius Review Rebuttal!**

Well, it’s not so much a rebuttal, because I am in complete agreement with Wise Guise on this one.  It’s true, the real orange flavor of this contender is in the aftertaste, which blends nicely with the sweeteners as they build up to a nice climax a few seconds after it hits your tongue.  It’s pleasantly different from other orange sodas, and like the other Zevia flavors I don’t really get a “diet soda” vibe from it.  You can tell it’s different from sugar-sweetened sodas, of course, but it’s a subtle, natural sweet that I’ve taken a liking to.  I’ll drink this stuff any time.

Danithius’ score: 4.5 out of 5

4-Star Reviews, Zevia all natural, drink reviews, Stevia, Zevia

Mmmm . . . leaf powder

My compatriot Danithius has mentioned before in some detail about the sweetener stevia that has barged into the sugar-scene as of late, an all-natural, calorie-free, multi-hyphenated sugar-substitute.  For many years is was banned in the United States, although Japan has been using it since the fifties.  But late last year, in radical contrast to an effort to push out stevia less than two years ago, the FDA suddenly decided that it was cool to use, and it apparently helped that both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo were committed to using it should it be approved.

It seems that maybe they are lifting off the foot of the corn industry, ‘Big Corn,’ as it were, and possibly abandoning artificial sweeteners like aspartame.  There have been a few studies that pointed to some possible negative effects, but there is also evidence of more positive ones, including regulation of blood sugar.  Good news for diabetics, yeah?

Products containing stevia and the sweetener itself are popping up all over the place, including in orange juice, in PepsiCo’s Tropicana Trop50.  I bought some out of curiosity, and guess what?  It tastes just like regular orange juice, just has half the sugar, and no artificial sweet aftertaste.  Zevia has already graced our site, and I should expect to see more products containing stevia in the future, just like erythritol is gaining popularity.  And we will review them.  Try them yourselves, and let us know what you think as well, mm-kay?

– WiseGuise

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Stevia Stevia

***Note: this is a review of the pre-2009 version of Zevia’s Natural Twist.  See the other Zevia reviews to find a review of  the new reformulated flavor.***

Smells like sprite lite!

This stuff is sweetened with Stevia, an herb extract that was banned by the FDA, reportedly after receiving one anonymous complaint.  Hmm… I wonder if that call could be traced back to the Corn Refiners Association.  Anyway, check out the Orange flavor for a more detailed exploration of the Stevia topic.

Down to business.  While I’m an advocate of Stevia use (especially when compared to other artificial sweeteners on the market), it has to be used right.  If you don’t have the right flavor to begin with, it doesn’t matter what you use to sweeten it, you’ll still end up with a subpar finished product.  This drink had an off aftertaste, and hardly any citrus flavor, or any flavor at all, for that matter.  The lemon and lime flavor could be much more pronounced.  Nay, they must be more pronounced for a beverage that’s trying to subvert the diet drink market!  I’ve tasted lemongrass teas that had stronger flavor than this.  There’s no punch, and it leaves a bit of phlegm buildup in the back of your throat.

Again, I love the idea of getting away from heavy sugar use, but you still have to sport sufficient flavor to give me and the rest of the population a reason to switch to you.  If I was dieting and I had a choice between this and water, I’d go with water.  For the narrow segment of people that want something fizzy without any sugar and without chemical-based artificial sweeteners, this may do the trick.  But I warn you, Zevia, they’d be fair-weather consumers at best!  As soon as another Stevia option comes along with a halfway decent flavor, you’ll be wondering where your sales revenues have gone.

I love what you’re trying to do, but you could be so much more than than what you are now!  With the right flavors on your side, you could make something that would woo all soda drinkers into your sweet herbal embrace!

Rating 2.0/5 – great potential, but this particular entry fizzes out.

- Danithius -

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2-Star Reviews, Zevia drink reviews, Stevia, Zevia